Episode 28: How to Launch a Business from Home

How To Launch a Business From Your Dorm Room

[00:00:00] Brittany Bygrave: [00:00:00] Community is so important to an entrepreneur. And I think a lot of people don't realize that they're going to be your foundation to whatever you want to do, just look around and these people will definitely be a resource for you. You just have to ask.

Acquania Escarne: [00:00:16] You are listening to the purpose of money podcast, a podcast where we talk about ways to build wealth and create more freedom in your life. Today. I am

your host

Acquania Escarne: [00:00:31] Acquania Escarne. Do you want to become a hotel investor in 2021? If so you are in for a treat, there will be a live workshop happening October 28th, 2020 at 7:00 PM. Eastern standard time hosted by Davonne Reaves of Epiq Collective. If you remember, she was on episode 26 talking about how [00:01:00] to buy a hotel.

In this workshop, you will learn how to invest in hotels and how entrepreneurs, small business owners and real estate investors can take advantage of this unique opportunity.

Check out the link in the show notes so you can register for this event. October 28th, 2020 at 7:00 PM Eastern standard time. And of course, if you want to hear from Davonne directly check out episode 26 on how to buy a hotel.

Hey guys, welcome to the purpose of money podcast today. I'm so excited to have Brittany Bygrave. Brittany is a 23 year old entrepreneur and full time employee. She is a graduate of North Carolina, A & T State University. With a degree in business management, focusing on entrepreneurship, she's known for starting her business within her dorm room Noia Butters.

Noia butters is a skincare line that provides an empowering, convenient and conscious skincare experience for women with [00:02:00] natural products. Noia Butters is known for its signature, natural homemade body butters.

Brittany also uses her brand to connect and build a strong customer relationship with her community. Ultimately, Brittany will grow her business across the country and then develop nonprofit initiatives that promote entrepreneurship and grow generational wealth.

Hey Brittany. Welcome to the podcast. How are you today?

Brittany Bygrave: [00:02:27] I'm good. Thank you for having me. How are you?

Acquania Escarne: [00:02:30] Great. I'm so excited. Today we're going to talk about your journey as an entrepreneur and a full time employee and about your business, Noia Butters. So before we get started and tell our audience more about your company, tell me what inspired you to become an entrepreneur?

Brittany Bygrave: [00:02:49] So, I would say I'm always at heart, an entrepreneur, even when I was younger um, I have a trait about me. [00:03:00] That's always wanting to help people in general and I never thought I was an actual entrepreneur until I got to college. And that's when I realized I wanted to create something to solve other people's problems.

But I wasn't thinking about it through a business aspect. I was thinking about it through a helping people aspect. Um, so I, I always had that trait and still have that trait about me. Um, and that's kinda something that started my business as a whole. I wanted to solve a problem in terms of me.

Or others not having access to natural products. And I noticed that relatively quickly. Um, that's something that is a staple within my regimen. I'm always using natural products, natural ingredients, and that kind of inspired me to fulfill that need on my campus at the time. It was my sophomore year. [00:04:00] And, um, that inspired me to start it.

Acquania Escarne: [00:04:02] That's awesome. So it's really big now to use natural products that support natural products, because you want to be very particular about what goes into your body and onto your body. So I find it remarkable that in college, you were thinking through your own problem and then created your business, which is really how a lot of businesses are started.

They come up with a solution to something that they're dealing with and all of a sudden they're an entrepreneur selling a product that solves a lot of other people's problems too. So what is specifically Nioa Butters? We kind of talked about it being a natural product, but tell the audience more about what you sell and how is it beneficial to women or anyone that uses it.

Brittany Bygrave: [00:04:47] Yeah. So I'll kind of touch on what you said, which is very important. Um, like the importance of natural ingredients and starting Noia Butters I was solving the problem of, [00:05:00] uh, not having natural products readily available to me or others. And starting that business, made me realize more problems such as people are buying natural products, but they're not necessarily knowing what it's for.

What does it do? People hear coconut oil and aloe vera, but like, what does it actually do? So I kind of addressed that problem as well. Within

Noia Butters I have on the website. Um, I would say. No more than 30 second videos. Very short clips, just informational is about the ingredients that we put into their products itself.

So that's one of the benefits that I can definitely say that transparency kind of educating you along the way, when you buying natural ingredients, that was something that was very important to me, helping educate, helping people be [00:06:00] conscious consumers when it comes to buying products, whether it's mine or just in an everyday life.

And that's kind of the key benefits or is the key benefits to my business.

Acquania Escarne: [00:06:14] That's dope. And I want to kinda get into your target audience. So you, and like in your bio, I mentioned women, but do men use your products too?

Brittany Bygrave: [00:06:24] Absolutely. So a lot of men actually use my products and, um, it doesn't matter where they put it.

They could put it on their beard or their, their body or their hair. But my target audience is young women. Um, those are my first customers me being on a HBCU campus at the time of me starting it. So those through the ages of 18 to 35, is my target audience.

Men really support black [00:07:00] women, which I love and those are actually one of my most reoccurring clients, men.

Acquania Escarne: [00:07:09] Oh, that's interesting. So it sounds like men are some good allies for your business and they're helping you grow.

Brittany Bygrave: [00:07:16] Absolutely.

Yes. Shout out to the men for real.

Acquania Escarne: [00:07:20] So I'm really impressed in your story. You mentioned to me before the interview that you were successfully able to get into stores when you were in college. And now you're in stores in Texas where you're currently located. As an entrepreneur. How were you able to do that without being a big brand?

Brittany Bygrave: [00:07:43] Yeah. So, with it, I'm trying to think back. To what actually made me think about addressing, Oh, I need, more retail space or an option, another channel to get my products to my customers. Because [00:08:00] as you may know, I hand-make all of these products. But delivering and shipping can get out of hand sometime.

So I wanted a different way to. Or allow my customer to get my product without me necessarily handing it to them physically. So that was the first idea when it came to expanding to a beauty supply store. So, , on campus, I was in Twins beauty supply store, which is five minutes from campus. And they

were rather convenient for my everyday customer to go to it helped me distribute more products. And it was a matter of me just communicating, Hey, I have this business. Um, they tried my product, they loved it. They said how many can get by tomorrow. And it was just a matter of me having that much drive and

having a [00:09:00] business background to say, hey, this has to be easier. Like there's different, different ways to distribute. And thankfully they accepted, my business to be on their shelves. And they sold out within the first 24 hours of me being in that store, which is phenomenal. Wow. Yeah. Which is, which is nerve wrecking too.

Cause I didn't even expect it. I was just like, okay. Some weight off my shoulder now. Like I don't have to deliver to 10 people a day. Um, but yeah, that was, that was a groundbreaking moment for me.

Acquania Escarne: [00:09:37] That's awesome. And I think you raise a good point about as a business woman. So entrepreneurs have to have a business mindset.

You needed to reach a broader audience and make your product more accessible. So you went to a location, very close to campus and asked to be on their shelves. And then you validated the need for your product because it's sold out in the first [00:10:00] 24 hours.

So I think that or smart of view and courageous, because some people assume that there's this difficult process. To get on the shelves of stores and you just communicated, you built a relationship or initiated a relationship with a local vendor, and that's how you successfully got into stores where other people can access you.

Brittany Bygrave: [00:10:23] Absolutely. Community is so important to an entrepreneur. And I think a lot of people don't realize that they're going to be your foundation to whatever you want to do, just look around and these people will definitely be a resource for you. You just have to ask.

Acquania Escarne: [00:10:40] Yeah, and I think that's true.

And so many entrepreneurs try to do it all on their own when really you need to rely on your network around you to help you. And I think that's a really, really good point you raised. So thanks for bringing that up. So I always ask this question because a lot of [00:11:00] entrepreneurs find that as a great way to build wealth.

And successfully create more freedom in their lives, but I want to know for you and your company, Noia Butters, what is your vision? I mean, you were in a local beauty supply store, but is your vision to eventually be nationwide in a Target or a Walmart, or do you have a different vision in mind for your company?

Brittany Bygrave: [00:11:27] Yeah, I love that question. So I'm guess I do want to be in everybody's bathroom in terms of my product, um, on a local level, but my vision really expands further into. Globally actually, so what does that mean? Uh, kind of honing in on

the mission that I'm trying to drive in terms of our traditional skincare body butter moisturizers, I'm kind of transforming the [00:12:00] way we think of that. And that's a rather tedious process. However, I think, um, longevity really resides on, um, how good a brand really is. Uh, for example, um, Google. Uh, if somebody has a Google shirt on, they're kind of proud to wear it, they have nothing to do with Google.

They probably don't even work there or they're just a regular consumer of it. Right. But. We all recognize that brand. We're all a fan of that brand and what it stands for, whether we know it or not. And that's kind of what I want to do, but through beauty, which takes a lot more willpower manpower, but, that's kind of my vision for where I want to go.

So I sell three body butters and I want to know what's everybody's favorite part about each butter, like is, is the [00:13:00] smell, the texture, the name, even things of that nature, just to have in mind when I'm creating a new product list.

Acquania Escarne: [00:13:09] What has been some of the challenges in being an entrepreneur and then follow that up with some of the achievements.

Brittany Bygrave: [00:13:17] Yeah. So I would say my biggest achievements would be me even starting in the first place. I easily could have the idea of flow past my head of me wanting to start a business, um, in the first place.

But, uh, my achievement was starting , sustaining for three years, um, being a student and managing it all. And, even now I give myself credit for being a full time employee at a fortune 500 company. While coming home every single day and working on my own company, I think that's something that's extremely fulfilling [00:14:00] for me, even though it's.

Rather complicated some days I wouldn't see myself doing anything else. This could go into how I manage it all.

Acquania Escarne: [00:14:10] Yeah. How do you manage it all?

Brittany Bygrave: [00:14:13] It's

okay. So I, a lot of it goes to time management, but a lot of people don't define that. So. I take at least an hour to myself. I should take more, but I give myself an hour to myself to really give myself, um, a wellness period

I call it. And that's something that I hone in on because my business is about wellness and self care and things of that nature. So why would I cause a burnout? On myself as entrepreneur to fulfill the needs for my customers, which I wish for them, you know? Um, so that's literally me going to [00:15:00] prioritize, prioritizing my days and what I want out of that.

So, um, every day I work on my business, doesn't matter if it's Sunday, Saturday. Monday, it's a long day at work. I shut off work at five, come home and continuously work on it, whether I'm working on the product itself or something on line or orders, customer service. Cause I do everything myself. Um, when it comes to the business, whether it be the Instagram post or

the product that you get in your hands. Um, that's everything that I touch. So I manage it by essentially prioritizing myself first and also delegating whether I want to focus at on full time work or my personal work when I get home.

Acquania Escarne: [00:15:55] So you don't have any virtual assistant free [00:16:00] interns, nothing. You're just superwoman.

Brittany Bygrave: [00:16:05] Which is, which is difficult.

But I really take time for myself because before I'm an entrepreneur, I am somebody's daughter, somebody's best friend, I'm somebody's. I don't have a sister, but somebody's cousin, um, somebody, um, somebody to somebody. Um, so I really take that very, very seriously. Um, before I get to work, you know. ,

Acquania Escarne: [00:16:33] Right. Self care is absolutely important.

And when you're trying to balance a business and a nine to five, it's important that you take those moments for yourself. So you can gather your thoughts, it's your emotions, get yourself in balance, and then be focused at what you're doing, which sounds like that you're being very successful and intentional in those actions.

Because you're able to manage both. And I love it. And I think that what you're [00:17:00] saying, what you're sharing today, Is very important for others to hear whoever probably in the same predicament. I will say at some point, though, if you do continue to grow and fulfill the vision you have for your business, you may also need to

outsource and hire. I find it something that a lot of entrepreneurs don't think about. Well, and solo entrepreneurs are great, but it is important that we use our businesses as a way to empower and build up others. And the best way to do that is to hire or to support other entrepreneurs. Who can fulfill specific roles in your company, whether it's designing graphics for you or helping you with your publicity or image or whatever, it may be at some point, you know, we all have to kind of surrender the reigns and grow.

Brittany Bygrave: [00:17:52] Yeah. And you have to be uncomfortable sometimes just to add to that I've worked with, um, people [00:18:00] in the past, but it's very uncomfortable for me. Um, even in school, I'm just like, I'm very hesitant when it comes to that. Um, but me relocating, it's difficult to find , Somebody to outsource to when it comes to things that I really, really need help on.

Um, or just more hands on in terms of like customer service and things of that nature. I will not be the only one, um, being a part of what I'm trying to build. I agree with you.

Acquania Escarne: [00:18:32] Great I'm glad. Cause I don't want you to burn out. I want you to be successful.

So without further ado, can you let our listeners know how can they find you on social?

Brittany Bygrave: [00:18:42] Yes. Um, you can find me at Noia Butters N O I A butters with an S on Twitter, Instagram, and also same name on Facebook. And my website is Noiabutters.com.

Acquania Escarne: [00:18:59] Awesome. I'm going [00:19:00] to include all of that in the show notes.

So if you want to follow Noia Butters on social. I'll make sure to include the handles as well as some highlights from our conversation. I hope that this has been very helpful to you. Any entrepreneurs out there who are thinking about launching your business and continuing to keep your nine to five to definitely hear this episode and share it with others.

Thank you for listening to the purpose of money podcast. For more resources and information, check out my website, thepurposeofmoney.com. And while you're there, please sign up for our newsletter so you have the latest information on new episodes and blog posts until next time, keep creating freedom in your life today.